The Grand Canyon – as grand as you might imagine!

When researching how to plan our trip to the Grand Canyon – where to go, what to see, how to accomplish the most in our time there – we encountered literally thousands of suggested plans and adventurous itineraries: helicopter tours into the canyon, trips down the Colorado River, guided trail rides or hikes.  There are just SO many ways to experience this majestic destination, you will have to decide what works best for your family’s time and interests.  Be sure to do your research!  

A self-guided tour

For our family of photographers and videographers – with just one day to take it in – we decided that a self-guided tour of each of the overlooks and associated trails along the 27-mile stretch of the South Rim, from Navajo Point to Hopi Point, was the best option for us.  And yes, it was as grand as you might imagine!

To begin our day

We left the hotel early after picking up our grab-and-go breakfast and delicious cup of “hot, really good” coffee from Imelda at the Tusayan IHG – Holiday Inn Express & Suites.  We wanted to see the South Rim from sunrise to sunset and take in all of the colors and views the day had to offer, so we headed to Mather Point to see the 6:03am sunrise.  

A chilly beginning

The morning was cold – 37 degrees with a strong wind – quite a difference from our experience in Vegas just days before.  Consequently, despite the lack of enough warm clothes, we were warmed by the exhilaration of seeing the sun break open the dark skies over the rim, filling the canyon with light and colors too vivid to be explained or imagined!

It was a sunrise to remember!

After sunrise, we climbed into the SUV, cranked up the heat, and headed out to Navajo Point.  There we met Leroy, a Navajo Indian who lived on the reservation just East of the point.  He explained that his community, hit hard by Covid-19, had been closed to the public to protect the tribal Elders from possible exposure.  Leroy enjoyed telling us about his slice of life on the South Rim and gave us the correct pronunciation of the Town of Tusayan where we were staying (pronounced TOO-see-ahn).  

He warmly invited us to come back to visit him, once the reservation was opened to the public, and even told us how to find his home.  We loved the warmth of the many new friends we met on this trip, just as we enjoyed the warmth of the sun that was now climbing into the morning sky. 

Next stop along the way

After leaving Navajo Point, we headed West along the Rim, stopping at each overlook along the way.  The overlooks are very accessible, with parking either right at the Rim or just a short hike away, and some have restroom facilities.  You will want to pick up a map from the Rangers at the Park entrance to help you plan your stops.  Some of the overlooks are also trailheads that allow access down into the Canyon.  Along the way, you will find more amazing views and photo spots, as well as markers that tell of the incredible history of the area.  Enjoy these photos of some of our favorite spots, such as Lipan Point and Grandview Point.  

Bright Angel Trail – a majestic destination

For lunch, we stopped by the Maswik Lodge, one of the many rim hotels. We then spent the next hour or so strolling through other historic rim hotels, such as the El Tovar and the Bright Angel Lodge.  From here, we had a brief hike down what is probably the most famous of all the Canyon Trails – The Bright Angel Trail.  

On the way down, we passed a pack of mules coming back from a long day of carrying folks deep into the Canyon.  As the sun sank lower in the sky, we made our way to the Park Tram stop for the ride to Hopi Point.  

The MOST amazing sunset!

With an hour or so to rest before the 6:44pm sunset, we spent some time getting “golden hour” shots of the family, and talking about the wildlife we had seen at the Canyon – elk, rabbits, mules, wild horses, squirrels, birds – and the fact that we had seen no bugs.  We watched with awe the spectacular color changes in the canyon floor and cliff faces, as the bright glow of the sun casually dissolved behind the rim, eventually yielding to the dark purple hues of twilight.  

Better than we could have imagined

Satisfied with all we had seen on our day along the South Rim, we made our way back into Tusayan, where we enjoyed tasty gelato at the brand new Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory.  Consequently, it had been a wonderful day and a well earned bedtime awaited us as we prepared for our next travel day. This time to the last stop on our Southwest Adventure – the indescribable and surprising Sedona, AZ!  

Let’s Get to the Point!

Also, here’s a link to the step-by-step process that we followed to see places that I once thought were completely untouchable for an average family of six, like mine! As well, please follow along on my social media channels, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  

*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission, or a referral bonus, for recommendations – at no cost to you.  We only recommend products that we personally use, trust, and enjoy.